Car-bolster



(No Model.)

J. C. WANDS.

CAR BOLSTER No. 558,446. Patented Apr. 14, 1896.`

, 17.14 v ;IL ?E 3 hm W u V v 7 jj f 1 amm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN C. WVANDS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CAR-BOLSTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. &358,446, dated April 14, 1896. Application filed January 7, 1896. Serial No. 574,658. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern- Be it known that I, JOHN C. NVANDS, of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Bolsters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an improved carbolster and it consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved car-bolster. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken approximately on the indicated line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a View in perspective of one of the cast metal boxes that is located upon the end of my improved bolster. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of one of the gibs made use of upon the ends of the boxes of my improved bolster. Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of a spreadingbar. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View taken approximately through the center of one end of my improved bolster. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View taken approximately on the indicated line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a View in perspective of the end of .a bolster in which truss-rods having solid heads are made use of.

Referring by numerals to the accompany ing drawings, 1 indicates a channel-bar, the

. same being of suitable dimensions and forming the main portion or body of my improved bolster. Located upon the under side of each end of this channel-bar is a rectangular metallic box or housing 2, with each side of which is formed integral the vertically-extending parallel column-guides 3. Extending longitudinally between the outer and inner walls of the boxes are integral webs or i strengthening-walls 4, said webs being slightly less in, height than are the side and front walls of the box, and formed integral with said webs are laterally-extending strengthening-ribs 5. Between each of these webs4 and between said webs and the side walls of the box 2 in the top edge of the front wall of said box are formed U-shaped notches or seats 6,

which receive the ends of the truss-rods yet to be described. i

Formed in the inner wall of the box between each of the webs and the side walls and the webs are U-shaped notches or seats 7, similar in width to the notches 6, but said notches 7 extend nearly to the bottom of the box. Formed integral with the inner faces of the side walls of the box at equal distances apart are vertically-extending parallel ribs 8, with the upper ends of which are formed integral vertically-extending lugs 9. When the boxes are in proper position upon the ends of the channel-bar 1, the lower edges of the flanges of said channel-bar rest directly upon the tops of the ribs 8 and between the lugs 9 and the inner faces of the side walls of said boxes.

Formed integral with the top edges of the sides of the boxes adjacent their rear ends are lugs 10, which, when the boxes are properly positioned upon the ends of the channel-bar, are bent downwardly onto the top surface of said channel-bar, thus securely holding said boxes in rigid position upon said.

bar. Formed integral with the under side of each of the boxes 2 are annular fianges ll, which perform the function of spring-seats. Formed integral with the outer ends of the boxes 2 are vertically-arranged ribs 12, said ribs forming a support for the gibs of which I make use in my improved bolster. These gibs (indicated by the numeral 13) consist of metallic blocks wedge-shaped in cross-section and equal in length to the width of the box 2. Said gibs are constructed on their upper ends with laterally-projccting flanges 14:, which extend over the top edges of the outer ends of the box and onto the tops of the extreme ends of the channel-bar 1. Formed integral with the outer face of each gib are lugs 15, through which pass inclined apertures 16, the same passing also through the bodies of the gibs.

17 17 indicate the truss-rods of my improved bolster, there being, preferably, three of said rods, the ends of said rods, when in proper position, passing upwardly through the U- shaped notches or seats 7, formed in the inner ends of the box 2, through the U-shaped seats or notches 6, formed in the outer ends of said box, and through the apertures 16 in the gibs, which are located on the outer faces of said boxes above the integral ribs 12. In

the preferred Construction of my improved bolster these truss-rods are provided with integralheads 18 on one end. The opposite IOO ends of these truss-rods are screw-threaded and nuts 19 are located upon said screwthreaded ends. r

CaSt-metal saddles 20 are construeted to be located between the truss-rods and the channel-bar 1, there being seats 21 forned in the lower edges of said saddles for the reception of the truss-rods, and lugs 22 are forned integral with the sides of said saddles, the same egaging outside the lower edges of the fianges of the channel-bar l.

23 indicates a spreading-bar, in the center of which is forned a boss 24, there being a vertical aperture 25 forned through said boss, through which aperture passes the center pin that extends downwardly from the center hearing. The ends of the spreading-bar 23 pass through suitably-formed apertures 26 in the saddles 20, and after these saddles have been properly positioned between the trussrod 17 and the channelbar 1 slits '27 are forned in the vertical fianges of said spreading-bar, and the material adjacent these slits and just inside the saddles is upset or bent laterally in order that the correct position of said saddles may be at all times maintained. here both ends of the truss-rod are provided with solid heads, I make use of a splt gib 28, and when this form is used the flange ll of said gib is dispensed with and lugs 29 are formed integral with the upper edge of the outer end of the box 2, the outer pair of these lugs being bent over the top edge of the split gib 28, while the inner pair of said lugs are bent over the end of the channel-bar l. (See Fig. 8.)

A bolster of my improved Construction may be Very cheaply manufactured, is easily assenbled and dissenbled, is comparatively light in weight, will sustain great weight, and can be, when desired, drawn or returned to its original and proper position should it become sunken down or depressed after long usage.,

It is preferred that one of the truss-rods be turned end for end in order that one of the nuts 19 will be located upon the same end with twoof the integral heads 18.

By tightening the nuts on the ends of the truss-rods the center of the channel-bar can be elevated and sustained in a plane above the ends of said channel-bar, this being necessary should the center of the bolster be depressed or lowered, resulting froni an accident or by overloading the car.

I claim- 1. A car-bolster, constructed with a channel-bar, boxes located upon its ends, columnguides forned integral with the sides of said boxes, in which boxes are fol-med suitable seats, truss-rods arranged beneath the channel-bar, the ends of which truss-rods pass through the seats in the boxes, two saddles interposed between the truss-rods and the channel-bar and located a distance apart, and means for retaining said saddles in their position.

2. A car-bolster, constructed with a channel-bar, boxes located upon its ends, colunnguides forned integral with the sides of said boxes, in the outer and inner end walls of which boxes are formed suitable i U-shaped notches or seats, truss-rods arranged beneath the channel-bar, the ends of which truss-rods pass through the U -shaped seats in the boxes, saddles interposed between the truss-rods and the channel-bar, a spreading-bar for retaining said saddles in position, gibs located upon the ends of the boxes through which the trussrods pass, heads forned integral with the truss-rods at one end, and nuts located upon the opposite ends of said truss-'ods.

3. In a car-bolster, the combination of the channel-bar 1, truss-rods 17, and netallic boxes located upon the ends of said channelbar, which boxes are construeted with integral column-guides on their outside faces, integral walls extending longitudinally within said boxes, ribs forned integral with the inner faces of the sides of said boxes on which the flanges of the channel-bar rest, and lu gs formed integral with the upper ends of said ribs, the outer and inner walls of said boxes being constructed with U-shaped notches or seats through which the ends of the trussrods pass.

4. In a car-bolster, the conbination of a channel-bar 1, tr uss-rods 17 arranged beneath said channel-bar, boxes located upon the ends of said channel-bar, gibs arranged on the ends of the boxes through which the ends of the truss-rods pass, saddles interposed between the truss-rods and channel-bar, which saddles are provided with integral lugs en gaging the lower edges of the fianges on the channel-bar and provided in their lower edges with seats for the truss-rods, and a' spreading-bar 23 passing through seats forned in the saddles, portions of which spreading-bar are upset to correctly position the saddles.

5. A car-bolster, constructed with a channel-bar 1, truss-rods arranged beneath said channel-bar, netallic boxes located upon the ends of said channel-bar through which the truss-rods pass, lugs formed integral with the top edges of said boxes, the sane engaging upon the top of the channel-bar, gibs located upon the ends of the boxes through which the ends of the truss-rods pass, which gibs are constructed with integral fianges that engage over the ends of the channel-bar.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J OIIN C. XVANDS. lVitnesses EDWARD E. LONGAN, MAUD GRIFFIN.

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